Royal Caribbean vs Carnival Cruise: I tried both and one was more fun

Name: Royal Caribbean vs Carnival Cruise: I tried both and one was more fun
Uploaded: 2025-04-27T00:00:00+00:00
Duration: 9 min 30 s
Channel: Cruise Blog
Description: I've been on 30 Royal Caribbean cruises and tried Carnival Cruise Line for the first time. I didn't think I would like it, but I was pleasantly surprised. Here's what I loved about Carnival and missed about Royal Caribbean. Learn more about cruising: https://cruise.blog/ Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecruiseblog

Cruise Blog

🏅Authority

👁️ 31K views📅 1 years ago⏱️ 9:30

Royal Caribbean Group

Carnival Cruise Line

What This Creator Said

3 Happy Bacon

Creator RecommendsShip Comparison🏅Authority Creator

Other · 4 nightsFrom Long BeachVeteran Cruiser

Source: Our analysis of the creator's lived experience, based on what they said in this video.

Creator's Key Takeaways

I recently took my first Carnival cruise after 23 cruises on Royal Caribbean.

I absolutely loved my first Carnival cruise.

I paid just $850 for two adults on a four-night cruise from Long Beach, California.

Carnival's ropes course was more fun than Royal Caribbean's and it was free.

Creator's Tips & Advice

✓Try flexible dining on Carnival for a more relaxed experience.

✓Consider buying a drink package on Carnival if you enjoy cocktails.

✓Be prepared for potential longer boarding times on Carnival compared to Royal Caribbean.

🆕New to Cruising? This Creator Addresses:

Stereotypes about Carnival being 'trashy' or 'wild' — Curiosity led to trying Carnival, and the experience was more positive than expected.

Would the cruise live up to stereotypes or wish for Royal Caribbean? — After four nights, the creator loved Carnival more than thought, with specific positives like flexible dining and ropes course.

Questions This Creator Answers

QHow does Carnival compare to Royal Caribbean?

QWhat are the pros and cons of sailing with Carnival for a first-time Carnival cruiser?

QIs Carnival a good option for someone who usually sails with Royal Caribbean?

Topics Covered

Dining Main2½ Happy BaconLoyalty Program4 Happy BaconEmbarkation3½ Happy BaconCabin Interior3 Happy BaconDining Buffet3 Happy BaconEntertainment Activities4 Happy Bacon

Port Highlights

Long Beach1½ Sad Bacon

How to read the Trip Bacon Score

Happy Bacon — creators loved this aspect

Sad Bacon — creators took issue with this

Meh — no strong opinion either way

Scale: 0–5 strips in half-step increments. 0 = “meh”, 5 = “bacon bliss”. Aggregated from creator-review sentiment, weighted by channel expertise.

About our Bacon Score methodology

YouTube Video Description↓

I've been on 30 Royal Caribbean cruises and tried Carnival Cruise Line for the first time. I didn't think I would like it, but I was pleasantly surprised. Here's what I loved about Carnival and missed about Royal Caribbean. Learn more about cruising: https://cruise.blog/ Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecruiseblog